Aunt Ida Clare by Michele McCarthy [Review & Giveaway]

 

My thoughts:  I immediately fell in love with Aunt Ida Clare from the first couple of pages. A gem! She is jovial. Sweet. A loquacious, vocabulary expanding lady. 

Aunt Ida Clare is an encourager and a declarer (one who declare truth). She teaches by example how to think and speak in a positive way using words "seasoned" with a sprinkle of salt.

She goes on to share how Jesus is The Word and came as The living Word and the words of the Bible are His Word. 

This is an especially good book and it is a thoughtful and yet sparklingly wonderful joyful read.

And "I do declare" and wonder if anyone thinks this special Aunt's name is "I-da-Clare" as I surely do.

About the book: 2021 Best Fiction Children's Book, 1st Place Golden Scroll Award and 2021 Children's Fiction Book of the Year, 2nd Place Christian Markets Awards

Rosalina is not quite sure what to think of their new babysitter, her Aunt Ida Clare. Aunt Ida is quite the sight. Aunt Ida Clare declares the truth and purpose behind speaking life-giving words to an unsuspecting brother and sister when she whips out her shiny little object. She is positively the best thing to happen to these impressionable children one school day afternoon.

Parents and children alike will fall in love with Aunt Ida Clare.

• 2021 Best Fiction Children's Book, 
• 1st Place Golden Scroll Award and 
• 2021 Children's Fiction Book of the Year, 
• 2nd Place Christian Markets Awards

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Michele McCarthy is an award-winning author, teacher, and speaker. She is an Advanced Writers and Speakers Association member as well as a co-founder of Living Write Texas. With a dose of humor and fun, her passion is to help children see themselves the way God sees them.

GIVEAWAY

Begins September 19

Ends October 10 @ 12:01 a.m. EDT

Open to USA addresses only.

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DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given. Winner's prize is provided and shipped directly to the winner by the author or publicist.

Dangerous to Know by Megan Whitson Lee [Review & Giveaway]

My thoughts: Few readers of classic romantic era poetry such as that of Lord Byron know much at all about the lives of the poets and what shaped the poets to become the gifted individuals that brought enduring poetry forth. Such is the case of Lord Byron who wrote such classics as "She Walks in Beauty."

Megan Whitson Lee pursued writing this novel for a couple of decades finally bring forth a work of fiction based on Lord Byron. Her protagonist is Lord Gregory Bromby and he is undoubtedly the most villainous man I have ever "met" though surely there are others. His mind and spirit are dark, mean, uncaring, violent and yet he pursues the lovely Isabella for two main reasons.

He needs to redeem himself in the eyes of society and he needs to marry someone who has money so he can settle his debts. 

This is a book with a strong Christian message warning against marriage to someone who doesn't share your faith or who doesn't believe in God. There is danger in that union. It is also a story of darkness, devious living, and desperation. One can conclude that Lord Bromby was mentally unstable and his behavior certainly attests to that. The author has painted a word picture of an ill conceived marriage, and violent relationship, and a turbulent clashing of personalities. 

This is a well written book and I found myself researching Lord Byron to see how much might be fiction and how much was the reality of the man. Interesting. Frightening. Revealing. A good read.

About the book: (author's version of Lord Byron's story)

“Don’t look at him, dear. He’s dangerous.”

Isabella Bankmill seeks a husband whose character matches her list of requirements. The man must share her faith, but he must also possess a certain je ne sais quoi. The enigmatical Lord Gregory Gordon Bromby—London’s newest literary sensation—certainly possesses the latter. Despite a deformed foot and alarming views on politics and religion, he attracts the ladies in droves.

Haunted by his past and overwhelmed by his newfound celebrity status, Lord Bromby’s obsession with his own doom leads to reckless behavior. When he is stalked by an obsessive aristocrat seeking an elopement, Bromby’s friends urge him to marry a suitable lady as soon as possible. Intrigued by Isabella’s convictions, and hoping to avoid further scandal, Bromby proposes to Isabella.

Isabella also receives an offer of marriage from kind-hearted philanthropist, David Beringer—a man equally devoted to his faith—but she only has eyes for Lord Bromby. Blinded by his talent and good looks, Isabella convinces herself that he’s not as dangerous as everyone claims. But when Bromby’s world violently collides with hers, Isabella must decide once and for all who is lord of her life. God or Bromby?

About the author: Megan Whitson Lee is an anglophile and a recovering runaway. Over the years, she escaped to England and Australia before finally settling down in the US. These days, she lives a relatively quiet life as a wife, a mom of two greyhounds, an editor for Pelican Book Group, and a high school English teacher. She now escapes by writing novels instead of jumping on planes to foreign countries. Her novel, Captives, won the 2016 Director's Choice Award and was a finalist for a Selah Award in the women's contemporary fiction category at Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference.

Megan writes women's contemporary thrillers and historical fiction featuring characters standing at the crossroads of major life decisions. Author's Website: www.meganwhitsonlee.com

Watch for Chat With Vera's review on July 15!

~ GIVEAWAY ~

Begins July 2

Ends July 20 @ 12:01 a.m. EDT

Open to USA addresses only.

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Publicist "I Read with Audra," the author, and publisher have graciously provided a copy for this giveaway. One of Chat With Vera's readers will be selected via the Rafflecopter Entry System.

Pursuing Gold by Cynthia Simmons Historical Fiction from Elk Lake Publishing

My review:  Historical fiction has always been my "go to" genre and especially those books published by Christian publishing houses. The theme of Pursing Gold would, at first glance, center around the desire to use gold coin rather than paper money during the Civil War. While that is the initial theme, it evolves into that true pursuit of gold where the individual pursues the gold of a true relationship with Christ.

Set in Tennessee during the war, the Union army is approaching and ultimately attacking the city of Chattanooga. The citizens of this Confederate city are justifiably afraid of the encroaching Union army.

The bank owners - Peter Chandler a young man who inherits half portion from his deceased father, and Mr. Roper who lies on his death bed and whose daughter Mary Beth stands to inherit - become aware of counterfeit paper dollars in their town which were seemingly drafts on their bank. They need to find the source of this counterfeit operation and stop it, fast.

The author's character drawing skills are good as they are well developed. I found Mary Beth pretty shallow at times, but she did mature as the story progressed. To my way of thinking, her feeling that she was soon to be "orphaned" rather childish because she was an adult and adults are not "orphaned" when a parent dies. They simply lose the parent.

As the story progressed and Mary Beth began to nurse the wounded soldiers, the pace quickened. I loved the old Colonel in the hospital and wish he had played an earlier and more visible role in the story.

I believe this is my first read of Cynthia Simmons' work and look forward to more. Perhaps the sequel to this story will be Ruth's story. We'll see. I would suggest an additional sweep through the editorial process as there were some errors that could use editing in Pursuing Gold.

About the book: With his father dead and his business partner incapacitated, Peter Chandler inherits the leadership of a bank in economic crisis. With only a newly minted college degree and little experience, Peter joins his partner's daughter, Mary Beth Roper, in a struggle to keep C&R Bank afloat while the Civil War rages around Chattanooga. Political pressure for unsecured loans of gold to the government stirs up trouble as tempers and prices rise. Their problems multiply when Mary Beth discovers counterfeit money with Peter's forged signature. Can they find the forger before the bank fails? The two friends must pursue gold on behalf of their business, as they learn to pursue their heavenly Father to find hope and peace.

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DISCLOSURE: I received a complimentary copy from the Litfuse Publicity Group on behalf of the publisher and author to facilitate a review of my honest opinion which is freely given.